July 2020 - Journey to Reconciliation - Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil

Featuring Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil

Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil has been on a journey.  Not only has she travelled the country and world sharing her books and thoughts, but she also has been on a journey of reflection and consideration of one of the key issues of our day – racial reconciliation. 

Dr. McNeil’s journey began with her commitment to faith and learning.  She earned a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Doctorate of Ministry from Palmer Theological Seminary and was awarded Doctorates of Humane Letters from both North Park University and Eastern University. She is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and is on the pastoral staff of Quest Church in Seattle, WA.

For many years, Dr. McNeil shared about the significance and Biblical roots of racial reconciliation.  She had to convince Christians that reconciliation was not politically motivated, nor was multiculturalism and diversity at churches and conferences.  She led workshops and seminars regarding inclusion and equity and the example of Jesus. 

But as she continued her work, she discovered that she had to begin shifting her approach to reach the hearts and minds of people to connect them to the real and important issues of race. She realized she needed to focus on helping emerging Christians learn the foundations of this work and integrate it with their developing faith. 

As a dynamic speaker, teacher, author and reconciliation leader, Dr. McNeil’s mission is to inspire and empower emerging Christian leaders to be practitioners of reconciliation in their various spheres of influence.  As an Associate Professor of Reconciliation Studies in the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University, Dr. Salter McNeil directs the Reconciliation Studies program that prepares students to engage the culture around them as Christian reconcilers.

Dr. McNeil is also an author that has influenced the dialogue on racial reconciliation.  She is the co-author of The Heart of Racial Justice and the author of A Credible Witness, Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0 and Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now.   And her recent book Road to Reconciliation has been featured at various advocacy conferences. 

Through her work, Dr. McNeil has been recognized internationally as one of the foremost thought-leaders of reconciliation.  Among her recognitions, she was featured as one of the 50 most influential women to watch by Christianity Today in 2012.   

Dr. McNeil effectively demonstrates that integrating Biblical principles with the leadership development and community action can guide all of us in the pursuit of racial justice. 

July 2020 - Multi-Faceted Leadership for Multi-Cultural Evangelism - Rev. Samuel Rodriguez

Featuring Rev. Samuel Rodriguez,  

President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference



Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is many things to many people – husband, father, CEO, Author, Movie Producer, Presidential Advisor… not to mention Yankee fan and Trekkie.    But each of his roles is intertwined with his central role as a Christian.  His multi-faceted leadership in various arenas has reflected his deep faith and commitment to multicultural concerns. 

The son of Puerto Rican parents, Rev. Rodriguez was born and raised in Pennsylvania.  At age 16, he delivered his first sermon.  What followed was a tremendous future as a leading and acclaimed preacher.  He earned his Master’s Degree from Lehigh University.  In 1992, he became an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God Church.  Now as Senior Pastor at New Season Church, with campuses in Los Angeles and Sacramento, CA, Rev. Rodriguez brings his Christian and multicultural perspective to ministry.  

In 2000, Rev. Rodriguez established the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC/CONEL).  As President of NHCLC/CONEL, he has been instrumental in growing the organization into the largest Hispanic Evangelical Christian organization in the world, with more than 42,000 Latino Evangelical churches as members.  NHCLC membership includes churches throughout the U.S. and throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora.  One of the central purposes of the NHCLC/CONEL is to help cultivate a network of Latino leaders in the Christian community

Rev. Rodriguez’ work and ministry has continued to expand to various other faith based efforts.  He  has been a prominent preacher, speaker, author, and media professional.   In 2013 Rev. Rodriguez became a member on the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals.   In June 2016, his book Be Light, was featured #1 on the LA Times Bestsellers List. You Are Next, released in 2019, is a Publishers Weekly bestseller.   

Rev. Rodriguez recently served as executive producer of the 20th Century Fox film, Breakthrough.  In 2019, he also served as the executive producer for the soon to be released Fox Searchlight film Flamin’ Hot.   Likewise, he serves as co-founder and lead pastor of TBN Salsa, an international Christian-based broadcast television network.

In addition to his ministry and media work, Rev. Rodriguez has been actively engaged in national policy.  He has advised Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump, and frequently consults with Congress advancing immigration and criminal justice reform as well as religious freedom and Pro-LIFE initiatives.  He was a member of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships  -- both under President Obama.  During the George W. Bush administration, Rodriguez advocated for bipartisan discussion on immigration reform.   More recently, Rev. Rodriguez has had several meetings with the Trump administration officials to discuss comprehensive immigration reform, which includes both securing the border and providing a path to citizenship for current immigrants.   

Among his notable achievements, Rev. Rodriguez was the first Latino to deliver the keynote address at the annual The Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and is the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award presented by the Congress of Racial Equality.   On January 20, 2017, with over 1 billion people watching around the world, Rev. Rodriguez became the first Latino Evangelical to participate in a Presidential swearing-in ceremony reading from Matthew 5, concluding with “In Jesus’ name!” 

For his work and achievements, Rev. Rodriguez has received wide acclaim from many publications and organizations.  He was recognized by CNN, FOX News, Univision and Telemundo as America’s most influential Latino/Hispanic faith leader. Charisma magazine named him one of the 40 leaders who changed the world. The Wall St. Journal named him one of the top 12 Latino leaders and he was the only faith leader on that list. He has been named among the “Top 100 Christian Leaders in America” (Newsmax 2018) and nominated as one of the “100 most influential people in the world” (TIME 2013). Rodriguez is regularly featured in CNN, Fox News, Univision, PBS, Christianity Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many others.  Rev. Rodriguez received Honorary Doctorates from Northwest University, William Jessup University, and Baptist University of the America’s. 

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez's life and achievements highlight not only his capacity for multi-faceted leadership, but also his commitment to multi-cultural evangelism – bringing the Gospel to the Hispanic and broader communities from a range of avenues and opportunities.